Sealing the breach: successful surgical management of post-myocardial infarction left ventricular pseudoaneurysm

Indian J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2025 Feb;41(2):214-218. doi: 10.1007/s12055-024-01795-6. Epub 2024 Aug 10.

Abstract

Left ventricular (LV) pseudoaneurysm, a rare occurrence, develops when a ruptured ventricle is encapsulated by the pericardium or scar tissue. Unlike free intrapericardial rupture, which often results in cardiac tamponade and fatal outcome, there are instances where the cardiac rupture remains contained, forming a pseudoaneurysm and averting immediate tamponade. We describe a 43-year-old male who underwent successful surgical repair of LV rupture following inferior wall myocardial infarction that resulted in the formation of a large pseudoaneurysm. The diagnostic challenges encountered and the technical difficulties that were seen while performing the repair of the defect are being described. As the diagnosis can be challenging, swift and precise identification of LV pseudoaneurysm is paramount due to significant risk of rupture and mortality. Consequently, surgical intervention is advised as the preferred treatment for pseudoaneurysm repair. The potential dangers of rupture far outweigh the inherent risks associated with surgery, emphasizing the urgency of timely intervention.

Keywords: Left ventricular pseudoaneurysm; Left ventricular rupture; Myocardial infarction; Surgical repair.

Publication types

  • Case Reports